Roller for leveling snow or roads



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

I. B. BABUOCK. ROLLER FOR LEVELING SNOW 0R ROADS.

No.404,671. Patented June 4, 1889.

' (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

I I. B. BAB'OOOK. V ROLLER FOR LEVELING snow 0R ROADS. No. 404,671.

Patentd June 4, 1889.

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC BRITTON BABCOCK, OF NEWVPORT CENTRE, VERMONT.

ROLLER FOR LEVE LING SNOW OR ROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,671, dated June 4, 1889.

Application filed January 23, 1889. Serial NO. 297,280. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC BRITToN BAB- COCK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newport Centre, in the county of Orleans and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rollers for Leveling Snow or Roads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved roller for levcling snow or roads; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed. 1

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side View. Fig. 3 is a similar View with parts broken away and showing the drivers seat arranged at a different point, and Fig. 4 is a detail View showing the manner of securing the rear roller.

My improved device is made in three sections A B O. The front section A consists of a rectangular frame comprising the transverse bars D and the short longitudinal bars E, connecting the said transverse bars at the center and ends of the same, as shown. The tongue F is connected by hinges G with the front cross-bar D, so that the roller can play up and down, owing to irregularities of the surface of the ground, without causing the tongue to move therewith, and consequently chafe the necks of the horses. Large heavy rollers H are mounted in suitable bearings on the longitudinal bars E, and the drivers seat I is detachably secured on the upper side of the front cross-bar D. The seat is secured in position by means of the hooks or pins J, secured to its lower front edge and engaging eyes or loops K on the cross-bar, and by a brace L, pivoted to the rear side of the seat and engaging a loop M on the upper side of the central longitudinal bar E. This central bar E is extended rearwardly from the frame A and has a pintle N secured in its rear end, and a small roller 0 is mounted on said pintle, for a purpose to be presently set forth. A platform P is secured upon the rear bar D and the extended portion of the central bar E, and is provided in its upper side with a pair of loops Q and the loop R in rear of the same. The loops Q are adapted to be engaged by the pins J, and the loop R is adapted to be engaged by the brace L, so as to secure shown.

section I pivot the rearwardly-proj ecting bearthe drivers seat upon the platform when so desired.

The central section B of the device is composed of a rectangular frame similar in construction to the frame of the section A, and having its central longitudinal bar extended forward and provided with an eye or staple S, the said eye or staple engaging an eyeTon the under side of the central'longitudinal bar of the front section A. The central section is thus connected to the front section, so as to be drawn along by the same, but at the same time is allowed to play vertically independentlyof the said section, so as to pass over inequalities in th% surface of the ground. On the upper side of the front cross-bar of the central section I secure a curved track or wear plate U, over which the roller 0 moves when the device is being carried around the corner. The central section carries two rollers V, which are smaller than the rollers H, and are mounted in the said section in the same manner as the rollers 11 are mounted.

The rear section 0 carries a single roller IV, and consists of a rectangular frame comprising the side bars X and the cross-bars Y, connecting the ends of the same. The roller is mounted in suitable bearings on the side bars, aswill be readily understood. 7 The front cross-bar Y has a convex front edge, and is provided with trunnions Z at its ends, as To the rear cross-bar of the central ings, loops, or keepers a, which are provided with perforations 1), adapted to align with vertical openings through the rear cross-bar and be secured in position by pins 0, passed through the perforations in the bearing loops or keepers and the vertical openings in the cross-bar. The rear section is attached to the central section in the following manner: One of the bearing-loops a is swung to one side, so as to permit the entrance of the front crossbar Y between the said loops. One of the trunnions of said cross-bar is then engaged in the unmoved bearing-loop, and, the other bearing-loop then swung around so as to pass over the opposite trunnion, after which it is secured by the pin 0 in the manner described.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

it will be seen that I have provided a very strong and compactly-arranged device, which possesses the requisite flexibility to enable it to pass over irregular ground-surfaces, and which will not throw a large amount of draft 011 the horses. My device is intended more especially for leveling snow-paths, and when used for this purpose it is not necessary to use the rear section 0. When there has been but a light fall of snow, the drivers seat is placed upon the front portion of the front section, so that he is nearer the horses, and thereby given more perfect control of the same. When there has been a heavy fall of snow, however, the drivers seat is placed on the platform P, so as to throw the weight of the driver on the central section, and consequently hold the rollers of the said section to their work. As the device is drawn over the surface of the snow, the heavy rollers of the front section break up the snow and mark out the path, while the smaller rollers of the central section press it into a level surface.

It will he observed that the connection between the front section and the central section is practically a universal joint, so that the device can be given a short turn when rounding a corner or steering clear of obsta cles. The roller at the rear end of the front section, moving over the track U, permits the front and central sections to turn easily upon each other at all times.

When the device is used to level roads, it is necessary to use the rear section 0 in order to remove the ridge which would otherwise be left by the space between the rollers of the other sections. This rear section is permitted to move freely in a vertical plane, so as to ride over inequalities in the surface of the ground; but it is not permitted to have any horizontal movement independently of the section B, as it is necessary that the roller of the section 0 should always be directly in rear of the space bet-ween the rollers of the section B. The convex front surface and the trunnions Z of the cross-bar Y permit the desired vertical play of this rear section.

Having thus described my in ventiomwhatl claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the front section having the platform P, of the loops K M on the front cross-bar and the central longitudinal bar of the frame, respectively, the loops Q R on the platform, the seat having the hooks J, adapted to engage the loops K or Q, and the brace L, pivoted to the seat and having its lower end adapted to engage the loops M or R, as set forth.

2. The combination of the front section having a central rearwardly-extended bar, the vertically-disposed roller 0, secured to the end of said bar, the middle section having a forwardly-extended central bar connected by a universal joint with the front section, and the curved track U, secured on the upper side of the middle section,over which the roller 0 moves, as set forth.

3. The combination of the middle section having its front cross-bar provided with circular ends, the keepers pivoted to the rear cross-bar of the middle section and adapted to be swung over the circular ends of the front cross-bar of the rear section, and the locking-pins passed vertically through the keepers into the bar, to which they are pivoted, as set forth.

4. The combination of the middle section, the keepers pivoted thereto, and the rear section having its front cross-bar provided with a front convex side and engaged by said keepers, as set forth.

5. The combination of the front section having the rearwardly-extended bar E, the roller 0 on the rear end of said bar, the tongue hinged to the front end of said section, the seat movably mounted thereon, the middle section loosely connected to the front section, the track U 011 said section, over which the roller 0 moves, and the rear section hinged to the middle section, as set forth.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC LRITTON BABCOCK.

\Vitnesses:

F. E. ALFORD, W. D. CRANE. 

